Police seeking public’s help in locating ‘armed and dangerous’ fugitive near St. George

File photo of a Utah Highway Patrol vehicle in St. George, Utah, Nov. 2, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The search for a local man wanted on warrants from several jurisdictions and considered armed and dangerous continues after he allegedly fled from Utah Highway Patrol troopers near Desert Color Parkway Tuesday evening.

Collin Eddie Campbell, 41, is being sought by authorities, booking photos taken in Washington County, Utah, date not specified | Photos courtesy of Utah Highway Patrol, St. George News

Collin Eddie Campbell, 41, is being sought by authorities after allegedly fleeing during a traffic stop off of Desert Color Parkway just south of state Route 7 shortly before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

In addition to the current charges, Campbell is also wanted on multiple warrants, three for felonies and seven for misdemeanors, issued out of a number of jurisdictions, UHP Trooper Mike Murphy said.

“This guy needs to be caught,” Murphy said. “He’s fled from law enforcement three times within the last 30 days and was in a stolen vehicle every time.”

Tuesday’s incident was set in motion when a trooper noticed a white passenger car that appeared to be broken down with the hood and the passenger’s side door open stopped in a dirt field off of Desert Color Parkway just south of SR 7.

The two occupants told the trooper their car broke down as they were driving in the dirt and mud, and when he asked for the driver’s license, registration and ID of the passenger, the trooper said he “observed some nervousness in both. As I was asking for the information, the male was hesitant to give me his information,” according to charging documents submitted in support of the arrest.

Just as Murphy was in the process of verifying ownership of the suspect’s vehicle, he said Campbell jumped from the car and fled from the area on foot while the passenger remained with the car yelling at the driver to stop.

In the meantime, a records check identified the driver as Campbell and the passenger as 40-year-old Christine Ellen Jolley. It also revealed the car was reported as stolen out of Henderson Nevada.

Christine Ellen Jolley, 40, booking photo taken in Washington County, Utah, March 24, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

A search of the area ensued and included a K-9 team that tracked the suspect northeast toward a Family Dollar facility. Troopers and deputies continued the search until it was called off after it became too dark to continue.

Murphy said Campbell has had numerous run-ins with police and has made a number of threats towards law enforcement. He also said the suspect has said “he would not go back to jail without a gunfight,” and made other similar comments during previous interactions with police.

As such, the suspect is considered armed and dangerous, Murphy said, and while authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating Campbell, they are also cautioning the public not to approach the suspect but to call emergency dispatch if they spot him or have any information on his whereabouts.

Police are also taking extra precautions and want the suspect off the streets.

“He’s made many threats, so we strongly urge the public to avoid interacting with him — just call emergency dispatch instead,” Murphy said.

A tow truck was dispatched to recover the stolen car during Tuesday’s incident. During an inventory of the vehicle, troopers recovered a meth pipe in a silk bag stuffed in the center console area where a stereo would have been and a second pipe on the passenger’s seat where Jolley had been sitting.

The passenger was taken into custody for being in possession of the stolen vehicle and paraphernalia at which point authorities also learned that Jolley had been warned numerous times “to not interact with Mr. Campbell” by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

An investigation into Jolley’s alleged involvement in harboring a fugitive was turned over to the sheriff’s office, Murphy said, so additional charges could be filed pending the outcome of that investigation.

Jolley remains in custody as this report publishes, and Campbell remains at large.

If you have information on Campbell’s whereabouts, please call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office dispatch at 435-634-5730 or St. George dispatch at 435-627-4300.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cody Blowers was raised in South San Francisco, California. A 2013 graduate of Colorado Technical University, Cody earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in paralegal studies. Through the course of her academic studies she discovered that writing is her true passion, and she is committed to providing credible, integrated news coverage. Cody joined St. George News in 2015, and when she’s not busy chasing the news, she can generally be found chasing her young granddaughter, Kali.